Intersectional Approach to the Process of Integration in Europe for Nigerian Survivors of Human Trafficking : Strengthening Opportunities and Overcoming Hindrances

"The European Commission states that human trafficking[1] has a “detrimental effect on individuals, society, and the economy” and is a “gross violation of fundamental rights, and is explicitly prohibited under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union”.[2] This study emerged from the INTAP project, Intersectional approach to the process of integration in Europe for survivors of human trafficking, funded by the European Commission. It was carried out to investigate the integration process of Nigerian survivors and to answer the central question of how to strengthen opportunities and overcome hindrances to the process of integration in Europe for Nigerian survivors of human trafficking for sexual exploitation? The qualitative study was conducted on 35 Nigerian Survivors, 18 experts and 2 focus groups. The data was collected by a semi-structured qualitative interview with questions on different aspects of integration and was transcribed and analysed using the MAXQDA software. Key findings of this study are the role of a Person of Trust as the biggest opportunity and the role of fear as biggest hindrance for survivors’ integration. Further implications are the need for more state funding for gender-specific and mother-child friendly safe housing and SoT-specialised social workers and NGOs. Asylum policies need to be adjusted in order to refrain from deporting SoTs. Along with this, the EU Member States should release more funds for anti-racism and other Social Impact Projects in order to counteract refugee hostility in society. A brief guide to the contents of the report: Chapter 2 provides the context of the study and presents the state of research. Readers interested in the methodological approach can go to Chapter 3. Readers who are most interested in specific topics within integration (e.g. health care system, housing, etc.) can go to Chapter 4 with the specific code summaries. Practitioners (e.g. social workers, volunteers, etc.) whose focus is on practical implications can go directly to Chapter 5.2 and 5.3. [1] Human trafficking is defined here according to the UN-Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons (A/RES/55/25) (also known as the “Palermo Protocol”). This definition was also the basis for the EU Directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims (2011/36/EU). [2] European Commission. 2016.